Honours Bachelor of Arts in Human Relations and Spirituality

Would you like to better understand the complexity of the human mind and spirit? Do you want to experience a life of high quality relationships with yourself, others, the world around you, the transcendent? Are you interested in psychological and spiritual development, social justice, and the meaning of life?

If so, Saint Paul University offers you an Honours Bachelors of Arts with Specialization in Human Relations and Spirituality (60 credits). Excellent preparation for graduate studies in the School of Counselling, Psychotherapy and Spirituality!

The core courses in these programs are designed to develop:

greater effectiveness in interpersonal communication.

an understanding of psycho-spiritual development as well as different cultural and spiritual traditions.

The study of human relations involves two main disciplines: human sciences (particularly the study of human behaviour) and spirituality. Interpersonal relationships can be based on companionship, love, solidarity, professional affiliation or other kinds of social interaction. The program’s spirituality component examines our relationship with a supreme being as well as with each other.

Offered by the Faculty of Human Sciences, the Human Relations and Spirituality undergraduate program is the only one of its kind in Ontario. It investigates such topics as social justice, human development, acceptance of diversity, inclusiveness and humanism.

In addition to the foundational courses,* the program teaches students about the psychological, sociological, cultural, spiritual and religious aspects that influence both the individual and society.

*The foundational courses are a compulsory part of every bachelor’s degree program offered at Saint Paul University.

What you’ll learn

During your studies you will learn to describe and compare key concepts and theories in human sciences, and explain how spirituality can both help and hinder our growth as human beings. You will also discover the different cultural and spiritual traditions. You will learn how to analyze issues critically and objectively, and to describe and explain the main qualitative and quantitative methodologies used in the field.

Why choose Saint Paul University?

For its small class sizes and close student-teacher ratio

For its safe, secure and friendly campus with personalized services

For its bilingual setting in the heart of the national capital

For its diverse student population and international vision

For its solid reputation, experience, history and Catholic tradition

Potential Opportunities Our undergraduate program prepares students for jobs in community and humanitarian organizations, schools, church settings, in the area of human resources, and other related fields.

Honours Bachelors of Arts with Specialization allows you to pursue graduate studies in areas such as counselling, psychotherapy, social work, and human resources development.

Career opportunities

Aid worker

Community worker

Emergency response officer

Employment counsellor

Employment equity policy consultant

Facilitator

Human rights officer

Immigration advisor

Lobbyist

Outreach worker

Probation and parole officer

Social policy analyst

Street outreach worker

Trainer for ecclesial communities and organizations

Click here to find out more about Admission Scholarships at Saint Paul University.

From secondary schoolHave an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) with at least six 4U or 4M level courses, including one 4U level course in English or français.

From Ontario Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology (CAAT)

After one year of studiesYou are eligible if you have completed one year of a college program and have obtained the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) with one language course (English or français) at the college or 4U level.

After a two- or three-year program If you have completed a two- or three-year college program, you can obtain up to 30 credits of advanced standing (transfer credits).

From secondary schoolHave a Secondary School Diploma with an average of 84%, including one course in English or français at the Secondary V level.

From CégepHave completed 12 courses of general studies (not including physical education and refresher courses), including English (603) or français (601). Applicants who have successfully completed 12 courses of general studies may obtain up to 15 credits of advanced standing, and those who have successfully completed more than 12 courses of general studies may obtain up to 30 credits of advanced standing.

Applicants from the Atlantic and Western provinces

Have a Secondary School Diploma, including one course in English or français at the Grade 12 level.

Applicants from other universities

Applications from other Canadian or international universities will be assessed based on the applicant’s previous secondary and post-secondary studies. University equivalency credits may be granted depending on the studies completed and the program into which the person is admitted.

International applicants

Have a diploma attesting to 12 years of education equivalent to the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD). Persons who have completed a secondary diploma attesting to 13 years of education, such as the Baccalauréat de l’enseignement secondaire français, can receive up to 30 credits of advanced standing.

Mature applicants

When the applicant’s academic record does not meet normal conditions for admission, it is possible to apply as a mature applicant, provided that the person has not been enrolled in full-time studies for at least two consecutive years. In order to be considered for admission, applicants must have experience that can be considered sufficient preparation for pursuing undergraduate studies.

STEP 3: SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

You have two options

OPTION 1

If you are applying for admission to an undergraduate program at more than one Ontario university, including Saint Paul University:

STEP 4: GATHER THE DOCUMENTS NEEDED FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF YOUR APPLICATION

In order for us to assess your application, you must submit official transcripts for all of your previous studies (secondary, college and university). These transcripts must be sent directly from your academic institution to the following address:

However, to expedite the assessment process for your application, you can scan your documents and e-mail them to the Office of Admissions at admission@ustpaul.ca and then send your official documents through the mail.

STEP 5: ASSESSMENT OF YOUR APPLICATION

Once the Office of Admissions receives all the required documents, it will begin to assess your application. One of the following decisions will be sent to you at the email address you gave us, as well as to your postal address.

Possible decisions

Offer of admissionThe Office of Admissions will send you an offer of admission (unconditional).

Conditional offer of admissionThe Office of Admissions will make you a conditional offer of admission, with specific conditions that you must meet by a certain deadline. You can still proceed to registration (course selection).

Deferred decisionThe Office of Admissions can inform you that some information is missing and therefore the University is unable to make a decision regarding your eligibility. If applicable, the Office will tell you which documents to send and by what date.

RefusalThe Office of Admissions will inform you of the reasons for the refusal.

STEP 6: ACCEPT YOUR OFFER OF ADMISSION

To accept an offer of admission and a scholarship offer, if applicable, you must sign the form entitled Admission acceptance form that accompanies your offer of admission and send it to Saint Paul University by email, before the deadline, to the following address admission@ustpaul.ca or mail it to:

With your offer of admission, you will receive all the information you will need to choose your courses. You will also receive the contact information for our academic advisors; you can meet with them one on one or during information sessions for guidance and to help you finalize your course selection.

Foundational Courses (12 credits)

Compulsory Courses: 12 credits

HTP1102 Approaches in the Humanities: Interpreting the Human Experience

HTP1103 People, Social Justice and Ecology

HTP1105 Critical Analysis, Reading and Writing Academic Works

HTP1106 The First Peoples of Canada

Discipline Specific Courses (60 credits)

Compulsory courses: 45 credits

IGL1103 Introduction to Group Dynamics

IGL2126 Group Intervention and Active Listening

IPA1121 Human Behavior and Spirituality: Theoretical Foundations

IPA1122 Human Behavior and Spirituality: Empirical Observations

IPA2121 Perspectives on Psycho-Social Human Behavior

IPA2122 Research Methods and Ethics in Human Sciences (qualitative approach)

IPA 2127 Developmental Psychology, Spirituality and Religiosity from Adulthood to Old Age

IPA3101 Psychology of Spiritual Experience

IPA3121 Theories of Personality

IPA3122 Cultural Diversity and Religious Pluralism

IPA3123 The Helping Relationships and Ethical Considerations

IPA4121 Basic Skills and Concepts in Counselling and Spirituality

IPA4122 Psychopathology: Causes and Impact on Human Relationships and Spirituality

Optional Courses: 15 credits

Six credits from:

ECS2191 Introduction to Conflict Studies

ECS2192 Inequality, Conflict and Social Justice

IPA2124 Special Topics in Human Relations and Spirituality I

IPA2125 Positive Psychology and Spirituality

IPA2109 Internship I

Six credits from:

ECS3123 Psychological Impacts of Conflicts

IGL3112 The Spiritual Dimensions of Leadership and Group Facilitation

IPA3124 Family and Spirituality

IPA3125 Drugs and Behaviour

PHI3307 Ethics and Multiculturalism

PHI3309 Ethics and Religion

Three credits from:

IPA4123 Internship II

IPA4124 Special Topics in Human Relations and Spirituality II

IPA4125 Research and Directed Work

Elective Courses (48 credits)

Students choose 48 credits or complete a minor (30 credits) and 18 credits.

12 credits must be at the 3000 or 4000 level.

ECS 2191 - Introduction to Conflict Studies

A multidisciplinary introduction to research in the evolving field of peace and conflict studies, with emphasis on ethnic and religious conflict. Cases are drawn from local to global levels. Includes anthropology, sociology, psychology, history, political science, law, labour relations, theology, philosophy, gender studies and security studies.

ECS 2192 - Inequality, Conflict and Social Justice

This course consists of two components: (1) the examination of the variable linkages between inequality (economic, social, political), injustice, and violent conflict; and (2) the examination of efforts to create environments characterized by equality, equity, justice and peace.

ECS 3123 - Psychological Impacts of Conflicts

A multidisciplinary examination of trauma: Disruption of responsive mechanisms. Decision making in crises. Contributing factors affecting the impact of trauma. Conflict and psychological transformation.

Introduction to theoretical approaches in the Humanities and to the methods that are applied to interpret the multiple expressions of human experience, particularly those expressed in important works of art and literature.

HTP 1103 - People, Social Justice and Ecology

Social and ecological challenges facing humanity today, and related issues of social justice. These questions will be examined from a perspective of community building and efforts towards ecological and social transformations for a hopeful future.

HTP 1105 - Critical Analysis, Reading and Academic Writing

Development of abilities to critically read and understand academic works. Focus on formal writing skills: techniques of clear expression and construction of texts, argument development and organization. This course also includes a library laboratory component with focus on research skills, citations, and academic integrity.

HTP 1106 - The First Peoples of Canada

Indigenous and non-Indigenous perspectives on the First Peoples of Canada, cultural diversity, traditional practices and beliefs, relationship with the environment, changing roles and structures influenced by colonization. Contemporary issues faced by First Nations, Métis and Inuit, including cultural genocide and trauma.

IGL 1103 - Introduction to Group Dynamics

This course initiates participants to the group phenomenon and to different fundamental concepts, such as group typology, elements of group dynamics, as well as conditions and factors that are part of interpersonal and group communication. Participants learn to be aware of the quality of their participation and to develop their capacity to observe and to interact.

This course replaces HUM1103.

IGL 2126 - Group Intervention and Active Listening

Focus on the active listening model as applied to group intervention and leadership. Listening skills for interpersonal and group situations such as empathy, congruence, paraphrasing, reflecting, feedback, questioning, process.

This course was previously ANI2126.

IGL 3112 - The Spiritual Dimensions of Leadership and Group Facilitation

Deepening of one's conception of spirituality and presentation of various guiding methods adapted to personal development groups: self-training, support group meetings, life experience analysis and planned action. Community cooperation and psychosocial basics are addressed.

IPA 2109 - Internship I

The practical application of acquired theoretical knowledge in a professional setting. Unpaid internship of a minimum of 120 to 150 professionally supervised hours in a Human Relations environment. Incorporates a cumulative reflective practice component to encourage the critical integration of theory and practice. Production of a detailed practicum report.

Prerequisites: Minimum of 12 IPA credits and GPA of B+.

IPA 2121 - Perspectives on Psycho-Social Human Behavior

History and research methods. The self: content and process. Perceptions, cognitions and attributions. Social influence, attitudes and changes in attitudes. Communication and interpersonal skills. Aggression and helping behavior. Overview of groups and intergroup relations: A study leadership, prejudice and discrimination. Applications. Highlighted according to the themes, specific contributions of the main theories.

Introduction to the philosophy of science and epistemology. Research ethics. The creation of a research plan: questions, hypotheses, variables, and data analysis methods. Documentaries and qualitative methods: bibliographic research, historical research, interviews, case studies, and observation. Specific problems in the study of ethnic and religious conflicts and human relationships and spirituality.

Prerequisites: IPA1121 and IPA1122.

IPA 2123 - Research Methods in Human Sciences (quantitative approach)

Project preparation and quantitative comparative research. Use of databases. Surveys and polls. Statistical analysis: correlation, regression, trends, covariance and statistical inference. Examples from the study of ethnic conflicts and religious and human relationships and spirituality.

Prerequisites: IPA1121 and IPA1122.

IPA 2124 - Special Topics in Human Relations and Spirituality I

Study of a particular topic in human relationships and spirituality. The content and format may change depending on the professor.

Physical, cognitive, emotional, social, spiritual and religious development from childhood to adolescence. Theoretical and empirical approaches in psychology, psychology of religion and spirituality. Development of personal maturity, social and sexual. Development of faith, spirituality and religiosity during these stages of life and how these components influence the psychological development.

Prerequisites: IPA1121 and IPA1122.

IPA 2127 - Developmental Psychology, Spirituality and Religiousity from Adulthood to Old Age

Psychological, social, spiritual and religious development from young adult, adult and older adult. Transition and the tasks and challenges associated with them, the maturation, midlife, retirement, the normal aging process and changes in physical, cognitive, psychological and social functioning. Attitudes towards aging and pathological aging. Development of faith, spirituality and religiosity during these stages of life and how these components influence the psychological development.

Prerequisites: IPA1121 and IPA1122.

IPA 3101 - Psychology of Spiritual Experience

Main currents in the psychology of spiritual experience, with a special focus on psychodynamic, humanist and existential theories. The relationships between spirituality and mental health. The links between spirituality and psycho-pathologies.

Prerequisites: IPA1121 and IPA1122. This course was previously HUM2101.

IPA 3121 - Theories of Personality

Internal assessment and comparison of the many theories of personality. Design of the structure, dynamics, development, normality and abnormality of personality and its many applications in the field of human relationships and spirituality. Main approaches to the study of personality (psychodynamic, existential-humanistic, behavioral, and related types) and contributions of these approaches to the integration of the spiritual in the human person.

Prerequisites: IPA1121 and IPA1122.

IPA 3122 - Cultural Diversity and Religious Pluralism

Notions of cultural psychology and psychology of religion. Impact of culture and religion on psychological processes (cognitive, sensation and perception, social behavior). Relations and communications interethnic and interreligious, multicultural and multi-faith society. Development of cultural identity and religious identity. Beliefs and prejudices, discrimination and acculturation. Mental health and well-being among immigrants and refugees from different cultures and religions. Adaptation of theoretical models and measurement instruments of psychology in multicultural and multi-faith context. Psychological assessment and intercultural psychotherapy. Ethical skills in the helping relationships in multicultural and multi-faith.

Prerequisites: IPA1121 and IPA1122.

IPA 3123 - The Helping Relationships and Ethical Considerations

Ethical issues in the helping relationship and counselling. Concepts of values and ethical principles. Application of ethical theories to counselling practice and the complex processes involved in making ethical decisions. Considerations of the plurality of perspectives relevant to ethical considerations (theoretical literature, empirical and philosophical). Particular attention will be given to praxeology, the ethics of dialogue and experiential knowledge.

Prerequisites: IPA1121 and IPA1122.

IPA 3124 - Family and Spirituality

This course combines theory-based with applied research to focuses on the family and spirituality. A historical overview provides the circumstances that gave rise to the modern nuclear family, and the different ways social arrangements are made. The course will review on family transitions that occur across the life-span: intimacy, marriage and commitment, child- bearing and child-rearing, adoption, sibling relationships, divorce, re-constituted families, child launching in the middle-years, and aging families. Lastly, the course will focuses on sociological family matters such as class and poverty issues, raising children with disabilities, family violence and sexual abuse, relationships between parents and children and among various social contexts (nursery, school, workplace). Family counselling. The place and role of spirituality within families will be examined.

Prerequisites: IPA1121 and IPA1122.

IPA 3125 - Drugs and Behaviour

Pharmacology of behavior. Drug classification and their effect on behavior. Experimental and therapeutic use and drug addiction. Links between neuroscience and spirituality.

Prerequisites: IPA1121 and IPA1122.

IPA 4121 - Basic Skills and Concepts in Counselling and Spirituality

Main theoretical and practical guidance during interventions with individuals, couples, families and groups. Phases of psychotherapy. Attitudes and basic skills necessary for the practice of psychotherapy and integration of the spiritual component. Notions of resistance, transference and countertransference. Principles of professional ethics.

Currents of thought in psychopathology. Mental issues in the field of human relationships and spirituality. Variables, human and spiritual, that promote and / or maintain various mental disorders such as mood disorders, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, somatoform disorders and other problems relevant to the field of human relationships and spirituality.

Prerequisites: 24 IPA credits.

IPA 4123 - Internship II

Builds on the exposure to a professional human relations environment gained in IPA2109 Internship I. Unpaid internship of a minimum of 120 to 150 professionally supervised hours in a professional environment related to human relations, working on a clearly defined personal development project. Incorporates a structured reflective practice component explaining the integration of theory and practice. Writing a detailed practicum report stating outcomes of the project.

Prerequisites: IPA2109 and GPA of B +.

IPA 4125 - Research and Directed Work

Readings, development, delivery and production of a major research project in human relationships and spirituality under the guidance of a teacher or a professor.